Book Review: Other Areas: European–American Relations and the Middle East: From Suez to Iraq

DOI10.1111/1478-9302.12016_48
AuthorMark Duckenfield
Date01 May 2013
Published date01 May 2013
Subject MatterBook Review
Sovereign Justice: Global Justice in a World of Nations by Diogo P. Aurelio, Gabriele De Angelis and Regina Queiroz (eds). Berlin: De Gruyter, 2011. 250pp., 99.95, ISBN 978311024573 B O O K R E V I E W S
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the book sensibly does not try to synthesise an over-
In the book, this practice is explored in places the
arching approach but rather oscillates between looking
editors define as ‘new protectorates’, that is, ‘territories
at the practice of international law from the perspective
where a medium- to long-term international presence,
of IR and the actuality of international relations from
multilateral yet de facto Western leadership, was estab-
the perspective of IL.
lished with transformative goals at their core’ (p. 1).
Along the way, Ku offers some summary treatment of
Places as distinct as Kosovo, East Timor, Bosnia and
the histories of both disciplines, and here the one slight
Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan are thus included in
weakness of the book (for a European audience at least)
the concept and their realities are subject to the scru-
is revealed: while acknowledging the English School’s
tiny of contributors. As a whole, the chapters challenge
approach to international law, the disciplinary horizons
the often benevolent and altruistic discourse upon
are in the main North American. Thus, mainstream
which Western interveners frame their actions, thus
theories (represented by US scholars) are emphasised
pointing out the challenges associated with the rather
while critical theories get much shorter treatments. For
intrusive character of governance of new protectorates
instance, constructivism in IR is briefly mentioned
by the ‘international community’.
although Alexander Wendt’s work is explored in more
Perhaps the most distinctive strength of the volume
detail in the final chapter, and critical legal studies, while
is the diversity of topics and the array of new protec-
being accounted for in a little more detail, is (again)
torates covered. They include, inter alia,...

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